COUNSELING AND ITS
PROCESSES,
METHODS, AND TOOLS
Mary Joy Abion
Yesslyn Abion
Processes in Counseling
The counseling process is considered as an art
Processes in Counseling
and a science. The art, which is the subjective
part, requires counseling to be sensitive to the
world of the client. It entails good listening
skills and ability to demonstrate care and
empathy. The science which represents the
objective part of the process requires the use
of scientific tools to obtain comprehension on
what is happening during the different stages
of the counseling process. There are six stages
of the counseling process, namely, relationship
building, assessment and diagnosis,
formulation of counseling goals, intervention
Stage 1: Relationship building
This is the heart of the counseling process
because it provides the force and foundation
for the counseling to succeed. Relationship
building is the art dimension of counseling.
This stage involves establishing rapport,
promote acceptance of the client as a person
with worth, establishing genuine interaction,
promote direct mutualncommunication,
helping clients understand themselves,
helping client focus and slowly promote
counseling relevant communication from the
client. (Tylus, 2003)
Stage 2: Assessment
and Diagnosis
The assessment and diagnosis stage is one
of the most crucial stages. This serves as
the window for the counselor to have a
thorough appreciation of the client’s
condition. It entails analysis of the root
causes of the problem. The data that will be
gathered in the diagnosis will be utilized in
the formulation of goals.
Formulation of
Counseling Goals
Goals are important as it sets the direction
of the counseling proocess. It shall serve as
the parameter of work and the client-
counselor relationship. Counseling goals
may be treated as a process goal or
outcome goal. Process goals institute the
circumstances needed to make the
counseling work progress, which includes
promoting a good relationship. The
outcome goals stipulate the desire of the
client in terms of the counseling process.
Nevertheless, the client and counselor must
Intervention and
Problem-Solving
Upon formulation of the counseling goals, the
strategies for intervention may now be outlined.
Interventions comprise of individual, group,
couples, and family counseling. The client’s
participation in choosing intervention strategies
has benefit.Cormier and Cormier (1998) as cited
by Tysul (2003) recommended some guidelines
which will motivate client participation. The
guidelines include the followinga) the counselor
has to provide a mapping of the different
approaches offered, (b) describe the role of the
counselor and client for each procedure,
Intervention and
Problem-Solving
(c)identify possible risks and benefits that may come
and (d) estimate the time and cost of each procedure.
Problem-solving approach may be applied in the
counseling process. Kanfer and Busemeyer (1982) as
cited in Tysul (2003).Identified the six-stage model for
problem solving problem detection,problem definition,
identification of alternative solutions, decision-
making, execution, and verification.
Termination and Follow-up
The essential goal in counseling to witness a client
progress on his/her own without the assistance of
the counselor. There are four components of
termination which were identified by Quintan and
Holahan (1992) as cited in Tysul (2003): a.
Discussion of the end of counseling b. Review of the
course of counseling c. Closure of the counselor-
client relationship d. Discussion of the client’s
future and post-counseling plan These four
components indicate that the client-counselor
relationship must be ended aptly.
Research and Evaluation
This stage can be undertaken at any point in
the counseling stage. Research and
evaluation are fundamental part of the
evaluation.Results of the research provide a
scientific appreciation of the counseling
situation.
METHODS IN
COUNSELING
The items to be discussed in this section involve the theoretica
orientations of counselors and their corresponding approaches.
The approaches to be studied which are within the broad
theoretical categorie include psychoanalytical, affective,
cognitive, and behavioral (Galding, 2000) The presentation of
the theories and methods will be divided into three. The first
part focuses on the three classic theories of Freud
(psychoanalytic) Adler (Individual Psychology), and Jung
(Analytic Psychology). The secont part centers on experiential
theories of Rogers (Person-Centered Therapy and Perls (Gestalt
Therapy), The third part is about Rational Emotive Behavior,
Therapy of Ellis, Cognitive Theory of Beck, and the Transactional
Analysit of Berne.
A. Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory
-The approach of Freud in
counseling and psychotherapy is
popularly known as psychoanalysis
which is an analysis of the mind. Its
objective is to restructure the
personality by resolution of
intrapsychic conflict, which focuses
on the internal forces such as
unconscious processes.
Sigmund Freud
To explain further, it focuses on personal adjustment
through reorganization o internal forces within the person to
help him/her become aware of the unconscious (i.e.,
repressed memories) aspects of his/her personality.
Psychoanalysis has three goals: (a) to help clients gain
insights about themselves (b) to help clients work unstuck
issues, through a developmenta stage, not settled in the
past, and (C) to help clients cope with the stresses of the
society (Gladding, 2000). According to Nystul (2003) a
psychoanalytic counselor may utilize the following
methods/techniques:
Methods/Techniques
Free Association
Description
A method to encourage the
patient to discuss whatever
comes to his mind in order to
release suppressed emotions.
Dream Analysis
A method to explore
unconscious processes using
dreams.
Confrontation and
Clarification
A form of feedback procedure
for patients to become aware
of what is happening to
him/her and to determine
areas for further analysis.
Confrontation and A form of feedback procedure
for patients to become aware
Clarification of what is happening to
him/her and to determine
areas for further analysis.
b. Adler’s Individual Psychology
The approach of Adler in
counseling and psychotherapy
focuses on the role of cognition in
psychological functioning. Its
objective is to gain an
understanding of the clients and
assess why clients behave and
think in certain ways. Counselors
use certain techniques to help
clients reorient themselves toward
positive functioning.
Adlerian counseling focuses on four
goals: (a) establishment and
maintenance of an egalitarian
relationship, (b) analysis of client’s
lifestyle, (c) interpretation of client’s
lifestyle in a way that promotes
insight, and (d) reorientation and
reeducation of the client with
accompanying behavior change
(Gladding, 2003).
According to Nystul (2003), Adlerian techniques
can be explained in four phases of Adlerian
psychotherapy.
Phases First Phase
• Use of listening skills
Description
Effective listening skills are
necessary to promote mutual
trust and respect.
Establishing the Relationship
Phases
• Winning the respect of
clients and offering Description
hope. Winning the respect of
clients and offering hope
can increase the client’s
motivation towards
becoming involved in
counseling.
Phase
• Encouragement
Description
Encouragement gives the
feeling of support to the
clients which can help
believing in themselves.
Second Phase:
• Lifestyle analysis
Identify client’s strengths
that may be utilized to
overcome the client’s
problems.
Performing Analysis
and Assessment
Third Phase:
• Promoting Insight
Process
A method that allows
clients to understand the
dynamics of self-defeating
patterns and utilize the
insights to rectify the said
patterns during the
Promoting Insight orientation process.
Phase four
Soup
• Spitting in the Client’s
• A method that involves
determining the pay-off of
the game and interpreting
it to the client; this can be
used for clients that engage
in manipulative games.
Reorientation
• The Push-button
A method (based on Ellin’s
Techniques (1962) rationale emotive theory)
which includes focusing on
pleasant and unpleasant
experiences and the feelings they
generate (taken from Dinkmayer
and Dinkmayer, 1995 as cited in
Nystul, 2003); the push-button
symbolizes the amount of control
client’s can exert when they push
the button and put the stop to self-
defeating processes
• Catching Oneself A method used to avoid old
defeating patterns such as humor
when the clients catch
themselves. Counselors may
encourage clients to learn to laugh
at their self- defeating tendencies.
Acting as-if
A method that advances “can-
do” spirit and a self- fulfilling
prophecy, which can help
clients experience success. It
involves acting as if the client
can do whatever s/he wants.
• Task setting and
commitment
A method that provides a
structure as homework
assignment which can be
useful in instilling the value of
‘effort to change
c. Jung’s Analytic
Psychology
The counseling and psychology approach of Jung is
referred to as psychotherapy.Jung’s
approach highlights the task of th unconscious
processes in “psychological functioning.” The
approach applies dreams and other procedures
determine the unconscious processes to utilize the
result to boost the functioning of personality and to
enhance mental health and wellness. Its over-all goal
is to work for the client’s transcend and move
towards self-realization by helping the self emerge.
(Nystul, 2003).
Jungian counseling believes that the method of treatment must be
flexible and has to be established by the character and persona of
the clients. It therefore applies a more practical approach that is
appropriate to make the counseling process succeed. Jungian
counseling also applies dreams but find it limited to analyze a single
dream. Jungian approach analyzes the interrelationship of several
dreams recorded over a period of time. Counselors help the client
appreciate the meaning of the dreams and utilize them to understand
more the client’s personality.
2. Experiential Theories
The experiential theories fall under the affective
theories which are concerned about generating impact
on the emotions of clients to effect change. The well-
known experiential theorists include Rogers (Person-
Centered Therapy) and Perls (Gestalt Therapy).
A. Roger’s Person-Centered Counseling The
Person-Centered Theory has been described as
“if-then” approach because this approach
considers that if certain conditions exist in the
counseling relationship, then the client will move
toward self actualization. Tysul (2003) identified
the said conditions which were formulated by
Rogers (1957):
Condition Description:
• Counselor Congruence
This implies that the counselors
must be congruent with what
they experience and what they
communicate. For example: “If
you feel threatened by the
client, you cannot say you enjoy
their company will create
confusion among the clients.
• Emphatic Understanding This implies that the
counselors must attempt to
understand the client from
the client’s perspective or
frame of reference.
• Unconditional Positive
Regard This implies that it is vital for
the counselors to a sense of
acceptance and respect to the
client. It does not mean
accepting and tolerating
anything about the client’s
actions or words but to see and
consider the client as a person.
Manifestations that the client is ready to
move toward self actualization include:
openness to experience, self trust possesses
internal source of evaluation, and
willingness to grow. The person-centered
psychology minimizes the use of techniques
Rogers believes that the counseling
relationship can form core conditions that
are necessary for self-actualization.
Nevertheless the approach utilizes listening
b. Perls Gestalt Therapy Gestalt’s counseling
approach focuses on the here and now (Yontef’s
and Jacob, 2000 as cited by Tysul, 2003). It refers
to a dialogue between the therapist and the client
wherein the client experiences from the inside
what the therapist observes from the outside
(Yontey and Simkin, 1999 as cited by Tysul, 2003
The goal of the approach is awareness on the
environment of responsibility for choices, of self
and self-acceptance. This approach is appropriate
for people who lack awareness and have a feeling
of “out of touch.” Gestalt’s techniques include the
following:
Techniques: Description
• Assuming Responsibility The method requires the
client to rephrase a
statement to assume a
responsibility. Ask the
client to end all the
statement with-and I take
responsibility for it.
• Using Personal Pronouns The method encourages the
clients to take personal
responsibility by saying, “I or
me” instead of stating in
general terms such as “we or
us.”
Example: Instead of saying, we
got scared of the angry people
who mobbed our car, say; I got
scared of the angry people
who mobbed our car.
• Now I am aware The method is a means to assist
the clients in getting in touch with
her/himself. The counselor may
ask the clients to close their eyes
to get in touch with inner world
and say, “Now I am aware”
Example: Now I am aware of the
silence and I am afraid that I will
hear something scary.
• The empty chair
technique
The method can help clients to work
through conflicting parts of personality.
The empty chair technique is done by
putting an empty chair in front of the
client. The empty chair is the chair of
the personality that avoids to do what
the client wants to do. Example: A
client wants to give a feedback to the
teacher but is afraid of negative
reactions.
The counselor will instruct the client to
start the conversation with the his/her
• The empty chair technique other personality seated at the chair in
front of him/her stating why s/he want
to give a feedback and what is the
feedback all about. After that, the
client will be asked to sit on the empty
chair and express why s/he does not
want to give feedback. Then the client
will move back and forth until the issue
is resolved.
3. Cognitive-Behavioral Theories: Rational
Emotive Behavior and Transaction Analysis
The cognitive-behavioral theories highlight the
task of cognition in psychological functioning.
According to Holden (1993) as cited by Gladding
(2000), cognitions are thoughts, beliefs, and
internal images about events in their lives.
Cognitive counseling theories underscore
mental processes and their effects on mental
health. The renowned cognitive theorists include
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy of Ellis,
Cognitive Theory of Beck, and the Transactional
Analysis of Berne.
a. Ellis’s Rational Emotive Behavior
Therapy
The Rational Emotive Behavior Theory (REBT) highlight the
role of cognitions on emotions with the assertion that persons
can be best appreciated in terms of internal cognitive dialogue
or self-talk. REBT views that emotional disorder is associated
with cognitive processes that are not rational. The main goal
of REBT is to reform the self-defeating cognition of the client
and assist him/her in obtain a more reasonable viewpoint in
life. The type of therapy is didactic and provoking. It educates
the clients to argue illogical thinking and if essential, challenge
the client’s self-defeating idea or principle. (Gladding, 2000)
The REBT techniques that Ellis identified comprise of
cognitive, emotive, and behavioral. The table below
provides a description of the said techniques (Tylus, 2003).
Technique
Description
• Cognitive
Focuses on helping clients
conquer “defeating
cognitions.” The method it
involves reforming ideas
that are unreasonable and
irrational. Other techniques
include reframing from an
unconstructive stance to a
more positive viewpoint.
Emotive Techniques
Focuses on the client’s
“affective or emotional
domain.” This helps in
assisting clients learn to
acknowledge themselves.
• Behavioral Techniques
Focuses on the full array of
behavioral methods such as
assertiveness training, relaxation
therapy, self-management, self
monitoring, and homework
assignments.
b. Beck’s Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive Therapy highlights the vitality of cognitive thinking
particularly dysfunctional thoughts. This counseling approach is
appropriate for people suffering from depressions and
anxieties. Clients are led to be more practical in their
understanding and explanation of events by “projecting less
(anxiety) and generalizing less (depression).” According to Beck
(Gladding, 2000), he does not try to invalidate “beliefs” but let
his clients investigate “beliefs’ functionality.” The approach
utilizes explicit profile and treatment.
Plans for disorders such as depression, suicide, and anxiety (Dattlio and Padesky,
1990 as cited by Galdding, 2000). The table below presents the techniques associated
with cognitive as described by Beck and Weishaar (2000) as cited by Galdding (2000):
Technique
Description
• Decatastrophizing This method is referred to
as “what if” and includes
priming clients for results
that may strongly affect
the client.
•Redefining This method assists clients
to drum up clients who have
a lost sense control on an
obstacle by rearticulating an
obstacle to something that
may be useful. Example: “I
am a ugly” to “I am
beautiful.”
•Decentering This method comprise of
instructing the clients to
observe and get a practical
appreciation of other
people’s response. This will
help clients apprehend that
they are not the “center of
attention.”
• Behavioral Techniques This method applies a broad
selection of methods to assist
clients in obtaining “essential
skills, relaxing, preparing for
difficult situations, and
exposing them to feared
situations.”
c. Berne’s Transactional
Analysis
The Transaction Analysis (TA) approach refers to examining
and dissecting transactions between people. It includes
evaluating the “three ego state of parent, adult, and child of
each person. This is to detect if the transactions are balanced
and harmonized. The fundamental goal is assist clients to
reach a stage of being “autonomous, self-aware, spontaneous
and have the capacity for intimacy” (Tylus, 2003). The TA
techniques as identified by Bern (1961) as cited by Tylus
(2003) include the following:
Technique
• Structural Analysis Description
A method that assists clients be
conscious of their “three ego”
• Transactional Analysis A method that assists
clients to “learn to
communicate with
complementary
transactions, (i.e., adults
to adults)”
• Script Analysis A method that looks into
the “type of life script the
client has developed and
how it can be re-written.”
• Analysis of Games A method that comprise of
determining “what games
the clients play and how
the games interfere with
interpersonal functioning.”
